ABSTRACT
Introduction: The Virtual Clinic Mobile Application (VCMA) is a valuable tool for managing and remotely monitoring patients with various medical conditions. It can alleviate the strain on outpatient services and offer follow-up options for patients who do not require a physical examination. A thorough understanding of recent literature can assist in identifying suitable functionalities for new development and future improvement of current applications (apps). This review study is aimed at identifying functional and nonfunctional requirements for VCMA. Methods: This study conducted a systematic search using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, Science Direct, ProQuest, and IEEE to gather requirements of VCMA articles published in English from the inception of the databases up to April 2022. Out of a total of 1223 articles, 76 met the inclusion criteria. These articles were then analyzed using conventional content analysis to extract and categorize their requirements. Results: Two main themes and 8 subthemes in terms of VCMA requirements were extracted as follows: (1) functional requirements with 3 subthemes (demographic data documentation, health record, general features of the user interface (UI)); (2) nonfunctional requirements with 5 subthemes (usability, accessibility, compatibility, efficiency, and security). Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of mHealth solutions for virtual care and the need for the development of apps based on the extracted functional and nonfunctional requirements for VCMA; however, controlled trials are necessary. It is recommended that transparent reporting of mHealth interventions be prioritized to enable effective interpretation of the extracted data.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. In early 2020, the disease spread rapidly around the world. Since the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 has evolved dramatically into a wide variety of variants endowed with devastating properties. As of March 6, 2022, five SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron strains have been identified. Due to the crucial importance of understanding the differences between the Omicron and Delta variants, this systematic review was conducted. METHODS: This systematic review investigated new variants of Omicron SARS-CoV-2 based on current studies. Online databases were searched for English articles as of January 03, 2023. Selection of publications was a two-step process of title/abstract and full-text assessment against eligibility criteria. The relevant data from the included articles were systematically collected and organized in a designed table for analysis. To ensure the quality of the review, the PRISMA checklist and Newcastle- Ottawa Scale (NOS) of quality assessment were utilized. RESULTS: The data extracted from 58 articles were analyzed, including 10003 pieces of evidence. Lower risk of hospitalization, ICU admission, and mortality after vaccination were reported in the Omicron variant compared to the Delta variant. Additionally, the Delta variant led to more severe clinical symptoms in comparison to the Omicron variant. CONCLUSION: The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 results in less severe disease outcomes as compared to Delta. Nevertheless, it remains crucial to maintain ongoing monitoring, implement containment measures, and adapt vaccination protocols to effectively address the evolving variants.
